John flinging
down the amount eagerly and thinking to himself that this mandate was
indeed a juridical masterpiece, not being binding on a rich man--for
what after all is eighty florins?
"Very good," said Mr. Monori, giving him a receipt for the amount, "I'll
come again to-morrow."
"What for?"
"I shall again call upon you to answer my interrogatories upon oath."
"And if I won't swear?"
"Why then you'll have to pay the court fine _toties-quoties_. A _juratus
tabulae regiae notarius_ will call regularly every day and exact the
fine from you until such time as you make up your mind to take the
oaths. Good-day."
After the magistrate had withdrawn Mr. John's fury reached its climax.
First of all he poured forth his wrath upon the poor inkstand, with the
ink from which Monori had written out the receipt. This he dashed to the
ground. The lacquey who rushed in at the commotion to inquire if his
honour had rung, he seized by the nape of the neck and flung out of the
room. Then he rushed after the man and pommelled him for daring to go
out before he had been told to go. Finally he dashed out and, for the
lowest silver coin he could make up his mind to part with, hired a
hackney coach to take him to his villa near the park, for thither he had
resolved to fly.
On arriving there he recovered himself somewhat.
So Coloman had been discovered and had confessed about his own doings
and Margari's.
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